Label-applying mechanism



May 125', 1926;

EL. SMITH LABEL APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 4, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY May .25 1.926.

E. L. SMITH LABEL APPLYING ME'CHANI'SM Filed Nov, 4, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 25 ,1926; 1,586,388

E. L. SMITH LABEL APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 4, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR XAWAM Patented May 25, 1926.

UNlTEDeSTATES PATENTS .oFFicsY ELMER L. SMITH, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHULSETTS, ASSIGNSR TO PACKAGE MA- CHINERY COMPANY, OF. SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION F MASSACHUSETTS.

LABEL-immune MECHANISM,

Ap'plication filed November 4, 1921, Serial No. 512,900.

The present invention relatesto label ap-' plying mechanism and, is capable of being used to apply labels, stamps, or the like to articles of various characteristics.

' The invention may be, and preferably is, so constructed as to be capable of application as an attachment to a machine for performing some other operation upon the articles such, for example,as wrapping them prior to the to. As an attachment, the present invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a self contained, compact mechanism adapted to be readily secured as a unit to the frame of a wrapping machine without the necessity of performing any machining operations or making any alterations or adjustments of operating parts other than the 'inaking of position to be operated uponand for cooperating with the label affixing means to support an article while the label is being applied thereto.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,306,359,'granted June 10, 1919, to the present applicant, there is disclosed a stamp or label applying mechanism having means for affixing gummed stamps or labels to articles successively moved into its field of operations by intermittently actuated feed mechanism, and also means operative just prior to such application to moisten the face of the'article which is to receive the stamp toenable the stamp'to adhere thereto,

7 the two elements being operable simultaneously on different articles during periods of rest of the latter at different stations. As set forth in said patent, the stamps are connected in a continuous strip which is supplied in the form of a roll and from which an individual stamp 'is severed just prior application of the labels there-;

article immediately behind the one to each stamp afiixing operation. The stamp applylng mechanism comprises a combined stamp-conveying nipper and stamp affixing plunger which oscillates periodically above the articles to be operated upon. At one end ofits oscillatory'stroke, the nipper is actuated to seize the free end of the stamp strip fixing position it operates first to draw a portion of the strip of predetermined length across a member which operates to sever said portion to form a stamp. T'Ihe stamp is then transferred by the nippe'rto the station where it is to be applied to one of the intermittently advancing articles... During the period of rest of said article at this station the stamp is released bythe nipper and the stamp afiixing plunger is actuated to means, the stamp will adhere to the article.

Simultaneously with the stamp aiiixing operation, the moistening. means operates at its station to moisten the upper face of the V which has just been stamped.

' One object of the present invention is to reorganize label or stamp applying mechanisms, of the general character abovedescribed and to improve the construction and mode of operation thereof for the purpose of enablingvthe entire action of'the mechanism upon each article fed thereto to be performed at a single station and during-a single period of rest in the feed of the article, 7 thereby rendering such mechanism adaptable, without special adjustmentof its parts, for cooperation with a wide variety of article feed devices.

In accordance with thisobject, one important feature of the invention consists in the provision, in a mechanism of the type referred to, of means for coating the labels or stamps during their transfer from the source of supply to the articles to which they are to be applied. By the above use of the term coating it is intended to cover broadly the application of an adhesive coating to ungummed labels the use of which is contemplated in the preferred embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, and also and as the nipper swings toward stamp afthe moistening of gummed labels, the employment of which is obviously within the scope of the invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character described having certain novel improvements in the construction and arrangement of its component parts tending to increase its efliciency and reliability in operation and to render it capable of operation at high speed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in mechanism of the character described, simplified and generally improved mechanical structure.

To the accomplishment of the above ob jects and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the invention will best be understood from a description of the preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved label a-pplying mechanism, together with a small portion of a wrapping machine to which the label applying mechanism is applied as an attachment;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but on a reduced scale and showing a different position of the operating parts;

F ig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is a plan view of a device for holding the end of the strip from which the labels are severed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of labels; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blade for severing the individual labels from the label strip.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is therein shown as an attachment applied to a wrapping machine which may be of the type illustrated and described in the copend ing application of applicant and Horace J. Paynter, Serial No. 497,311, filed Aug. 31, 1921. The working parts of the present invention are mounted upon or supported by a single frame member 8 which may be rigidly secured in any suit-able manner to one of the side frames 10 of the wrapping machine. As shown, a screw 13 and a bolt 14; having a wing nut 15 threaded thereon, may be a sufficient means of attachment. Advantageously, the. bolt 14 may extend of the strip through a vertical slot 16 in an ear 1? le pending from the base of the frame 8, the slot being open at its lower end to facilitate the removal of the label applying mecha nism.

The articles to be operated upon, one of which is shown at 18 in Figs. 1 and 2, are

carried in peripheral pockets 20 in a rotatable drum 22. These articles have previously been wrapped and the wrapper ends are overlapped upon the upper face of the article in order that the wrapper may be sealed by the application of a stamp. or label to said upper face. The drum 22 is actuated intermittently, by means fully described in said application, to successively feed the articles to a position of rest at the top of the drum where they are properly located and firmly supported to receive the stamp or label.

The present label applying mechanism, in common with that of the patented mechanism above referred to, is adapted to use labels or stamps in continuous strip form. Provision is made for receiving and guiding the label strip as it unwinds from a supply roll (not shown) which may be supported upon an arbor that is jonrnaled in suitable bearings at; any convenient point. The label strip, indicated at 26, passes from the supply roll, over a flanged guiding roller 28 and thence through a friction device 30 which holds the free end of the strip in position to be seized by a label transferring and afii'xing device which is indicated generally at 50 in Figs. 1 and 2. If found to be desirable, a suitable slackener devicefor the label strip may be interposed between the supply roll and the guide roller--28. Both the guide roller 28 and the friction holding device 80 are carried by a bracket 39 which may be supported in any suitable manner. As shown, the bracket 32 is rigidly secured to a second bracket 34 which is screwed to a portion of the framework of the wrapping machine. If desired, however, the bracket may be designed for attachment directly to the framework of the labeling mechanism itself. As clearly illustrated in- Fig. 5, the label strip is provided, at spaced intervals throughout its length, with transverse rows of perforations, after the manner of the usual coil of postage stamps, which divide the strip into a series of individual labelsor stamps adapted to be separated along the rows of perforations. The present n1echanism is designed to operate upon labels supplied thereto in an ungummed' state, although obviously the mechanism may be modified to operate upon gummed labels without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The friction holding device 30, as shown in detail in Fig. 4, comprises a pivotally mounted presser member 38 which overlies the label strip and presses it downwardly against a supporting platform 40' formed integrally with the bracket 32. The presser member 38 is fixedly secured to a horizontal rock shaft 42 which is mounted in cars d4 rising from the platform 40 adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges of the label strip.

messes The rock shaft 42 is'acted upon by a spring 46 surrounding an extension of the shaft and arranged to hold the presser member in yielding engagement with the label strip'.'

The presser member 38 is provided with a tail 39 which may conveniently be depressed to facilitate the threading of the end of the strip through the holding device. The holding device 30 also functions to positlon the free end of the label strip transversely relatively to the label transferring and aflixing device so that the label will be pr0perly located upon the article when applied thereto. To this end, the upstanding ears 44; are provided with adjustable positioning members in the form of screws 48 which are threaded through said ears, the screws being arranged in axial alinement with each other and disposed in the horizontal plane of the end portion of the label strip so that the inner ends of the screws will engage the opposite edges of the strip. The screws are readily adjustable to vary the position of the labels and suitable lock nuts 49 may be to transfer the label to a position above the drum and to aflix the label to the article earned in the upper pocket ofthe drum; an oscillatory knife 52 for severing an individual label from the supply strip prior to the transfer of the label to the drum; and an adhesive applying device including the glue roll 54, for coating the severed label during the transfer thereof.

The label transferring and affixing device 50 comprises a label afiixing plate 58 and a movable nipper jaw or finger 60, which cooperates with one end portion of the plate 58 to seize a label and to hold it during its transfer from the holding device 30 to the drum 22. The portion of the plate 58 which cooperates with the nipper 60is preferably'bevelled, as shown in Fig. 1, to conform to the shape of the inwardly bent free extremity of the nipper aw 60zand the bevelled portion of the plate 58 is offset sufficiently from the plane of the label aflixing face of said plate to insure that the nipper will not engage the article while the label is being applied thereto. The label affixing plate5S and the nipper jaw 60 are both mounted upon the lower portion of an arm 62 the upper portion of which is pivotally connected, by a horizontal stud '64:, with a vertically oscillating carrier 66. To facilitate the setting up adjustment of the parts the stud 64 is advantageouslyprovided with an eccentric portion 65 which extends is adjustably secured therein by the usual binding screw 67. The carrier 66 is mounted to oscillate upon one end of a horizontal sleeve 68 which extends through and is rigidly secured within a boss 70 3) on the framework 8; Axial displacement of the through a, split sleeve on the carrier 66 and carrier 66 is prevented in one direction by 'the'boss 70 and in the opposite direction by a rocker member 72 the mounting and function of which will be hereinafter explained. The'oarrier 66 is oscillated to effect thetransfer of the labels from the supply strip to the drum 22 by means of a crank pin 74 projecting from the side of a disk 7 6 which is fixed to the front end of a horizontal main shaft 78; The crank pin 74: ex tends loosely through a slide block 80 which is adapted to reciprocate ina radial guide Way 82 on the carrier 66. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 that the travel of the crank pin 7% through that half of its orbit which is nearer the axis of oscillation of the carrier 66 takes place during the advance stroke of the carrier and of the label affixing device 50 and con sequently it will be obvious that the advance oroperative stroke of thelabel affixing de-= vice will occur more, rapidly than the idle or return stroke thereof.

- The main shaft 7 8 is journalled in abears ing upon the frame 8 and is adapted to be driven from the wrapping machine or other machine to which the labeling attachment is applied. To insure that the labeling mechanism shall be driven in a definite timed relation to the operating I elements of the wrapping machine, provision is made for transmitting motion from the latter to the former by means of a sprocket chain and to this end a sprocket wheel 86 is rigidly secured to the rear end of the main'shaft.

As the carrier 66 oscillates back and forth, the movement of the pivoted arm 62 is controlled by means of a cam 88 which is fixedly secured to a portion of the frame 8. The cam 88 has an inclined cam face which is engaged by a cam roll 90 carried by the arm 62 and held against the face of the cam by a spring 92 which is secured at one end to an upward extension of the 7 arm 62 and at the other end to the carrier 66. The construction and arrangement'of the cam 88 and the operating parts just described is such that when the carrier 66 is at the upper limit of its oscillatory movement the nipper 60' and the label. afiixing plate 58are properly positioned to cooperate with each other for the purpose of seizing the free end of the label strip 26 which proje-cts slightly beyond the holding device 30, as shown in Fig. 1. v At the beginning of. the downward movement of the carrier 66, the free end of the label strip is drawn through the holding device 30 and stretched across the lower surface of the label ai l ixing plate 58. When a portion of the strip of sutiicient length to form a label has been drawn through the holding device 80, the knife 52 is actuated, as will hereinafter appear, to sever the label from the strip. As the carrier 66 continues its downward movement the label atlixing plate 58 advances under the control of the cam 88 in such a manner that the leading end portion of the label carried by said plate is first brought into contact with the glue roll 5% along a line at right angles to its direction of movement. Thereafter, the cam roll 90 rides along a depressed portion 9st in the face of the cam 88, causing the arm 62 to swing relatively to the carrier 66 in such a mannerthat the label atiixing plate is tilted so as to maintain a substantially tangential re lation tothe glue roll and to cause the line of contact between the roll and said plate to progress rearwardly until substantially the entire exposed surface: of the label has been brought into contact with the glue roll 5%. During the remainder of the downward movement of the carrier 66 and arm 62, the movement of the plate 58 so controlled by the cam 88 that the label is finally brought into contact with the article by a movement substantially at right angles to the article, hen the plate 58 reaches the limit of its movement it will lie in a horizontal plane parallel to the plane of the upper face of the article 18 and separated therefrom only by the thickness of the label carried thereby. Thus all portions of the coated face of the label will be brought simultaneously into contact with the article and the label will be squarely and securely aflixed to the article without the application of pressure to the latter. On account of the construction enabling the present mechanism to apply labels to articles in the above described manner, the mechanism is particularly adapted for labeling relatively soft or plastic articles such for example as yeast cakes without danger of altering the shape of the article or otherwise injuring it by the application of an excess of pressure at one side thereof as a result of an inaccurately levelled label allixing plate.

To insure that the label atlixing plate 58 will be exactly horizontal when in label afiixing position, the plate is secured to the arm 62 with provision for tilting or angular adjustment relatively thereto. To this end, the plate 58 is supported in spaced relation to the end of the arm 62 by a screw 98 which extends centrally through the plate and is threaded into the arm, the screw being provided with a bevelled head which is countersunk within the plate. The plate 58 rests upon the head of the screw 98, the upper face of the plate engaging at one end with a lug 100 on the drum and at the oppoend with the squared head of a bolt Hi2, the shank of which is also threaded into the end of the arm (32. With this arrangement, by turning the screw 98 and the bolt 1.02 the plate may be tilted, about the lug 100 as a fulcrum, until the proper angular relation between the plate and the arm is attained. The plate 58 may then be locked in adjusted position by unscrewing the bolt 102 until its head engages the plate and binds the latter against the head of the screw 98 and the lug 100.

The nipper 60, which cooperates with the plate to seize and transfer the labels, comprises a resilient labelengaging finger carried by an unyielding nipper arm 106, the latter being pivoted at a point 108 intermediate its ends, to the arm 62. The free extremity of the resilient finger 60" is bent inwardly as shown, to cooperate with the adjacent bevelled end of the plate 58.. Thus the bevelled end of the plate 58 constitutes the tired jaw of the label transferring nipper whereas the linger (50 constitutes the movable jaw thereof. The upper end of the nipper arm 106 is pivotally connected at 10s to a link 110 which is pivotally connected at 111 to the lower arm. of an elbow lever 112 which is pivoted at 114 to the arm 62. The. link 110 and the lower arm of the lever 112 are arranged in the form of a toggle wherel y a downward: swinging movement of the lever 112. will move the pivot 111 to a point below a center line ex tending between the pivotal points. 106 and 114: and will hold the movable nipperjaw or linger 60 against the fixed nipper jaw or bevelled portion of the plate 58, while an upward movement of the lever 112 will: cause the nipper jaws to separate to release the label held between them. A spring 116 is seated at one end in a socket in the arm and arranged with its opposite end hearing against the lower portion of the nipper arm 106 to hold the nipper open and the lever 112 in its uppermost position. Theopen or inoperative position of the nipper finger is determined by engagement of the upper side of the link 110 with a stop lug 118 on the arm 62. A similar stop lug 120 is adapted to engage the under side of the link 110 to limit the downward movement of the lever 112 and thus enable the nipper to be maintained closed with the resilient nipper linger 60 under sutlicient tension to firmly grip the label.

To open and close the label transferring nipper (50, the lever 112' is adapted to be actuated by means of the rocker member 72 already mentioned. To this end the rocker member 72 is rigidly secured to the front end of a rock shaft 120 which is journal'ed within the sleeve (38-. The rear end of the rock shaft 120 projects beyond the bearing cam 126 so that the rocker arm 130 swings the lever 112 upwardly, bringing the link sleeve 68 and has fixed thereto a depending arm 122 carrying-a cam IOlllQl which rides in a groove in a cam disk 126 that is secured to the main shaft 78. The rocker member 72 is provided with two oppositely curved arms 128 and 130, the free extremity of the arm 128 being adapted to actuate the lever 112 to close the nipper 60 and the free e.\' tremity of the arm 130 being adapted to actuate theleve-r 112 to open the nipper 60,

"he arms 1 8 and 130 of the rocker menr.

her are widely separated, as shown, so that while said arms are in the path of the lever 112, as the latter is moved bodily with the label applying device 50, said device will be permitted to move to the limit of its travel in either direction without causing the lever 112 to be actuated so that the nipper will 'be either opened or closed. As the label apply 1 ing device reaches the limit of its upward travel, the nipper is open, the movable nipper jaw being positioned below the free end of the label strip which projects slightly beyond the holding device 30, while the fixed nipper jaw is located just above said end, of the strip, as shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 120 is then rocked by the action of the cam 126 so as to swing the rocker arm 128 downwardly, thus rocking the lever 112 downwardly until the link 110 is brought into engagement with the stop lug 120. The nipper consequently is closed to seizethe end bf the label strip. The label applying device 50 is then moved downwardly, first drawing the label strip through the holding device 30 and then, after a label has been severed from the strip, carrying the severed label therewith. As the label affixing device 50 reaches the limit of its downward travel, the shaft 120 is rocked by the action of the 110 into engagement withthe stop lug 11S and opening the nipper to release the label 1 held thereby, as the latter is being atliixed to the article'18. Asshown, the free end of the rocker member 130 is forked so that it will not interfere with the link 110 and the upper portion of the nipper arm 106 upon the upward travel of the label applying device 50. In order that the lever 112 shall be actuated by the forked arm 130 said lever is provided with axially alined roll 1410 is held against the periphery of the disk 76. by the action of a spring 1&2, the

latter being fastened at one end to the cam lever 136 and at thecopposite end to the frame 8. l Theflperiphery of the disk 76 is provided with a cam facel le which is constructed and arranged to effect the upward swinging of the knife 52 just before a row of perforations 38 inthe strip 26 passes above the knife. The upper or cutting edge of the knife 52 1s serrated, asshown. at 146 in Fig. 6, the teeth being spaced to engage within the perforations in the label stripr As the knife '52 is, swung upwardly it engages the lower side of the label strip,

lifting the strip slightly to put it under tension so that when the first row of per forations reaches the knife the many points I in the serrated edge of the knife 146 will enter the perforationsqand, by reason of their wedge like character, will readily sever the connecting portions between the perforations. If, forany reason, however, the severnw does not take lace u on the upward movement of the knife 52, or ifthe severing is only partially accomplished,

the points in the'cutting edge of the knife willhold the strip while, the nipper 6O pulls the leading portion thereof away from the rest of the strip. Thus, in any event, the severing is positively insured. It willbe seen that by loosening the bolt 135 the rod134- inay be turned in its split socket in the lever 136and the angularity of the knife 52 relatively to said lever readily varied. Thus the cutting edge ofthe knife 52 may be adjusted to facilitate its severing action.

The knife should be so a-djustedthat the severing will take place at such a distance from the holding device 30 as ,to'insure the projection beyond said device, after the severing operation, of a suflicient length of label. strip to be readily seized by the nipe per upon-thenextupward movementof the latter. I 1 p The label moistening device includes, in addition to the glue roll 54- already mene tioned, a gluetank 146 of the shape bestshown in Figs. 1 and 3,- which maybe detachably secured in any suitable manner to the frame 8 or otherwise removably supported as may be found desirable. The

glue roll 54 protrudes through an aperture 7 in an inclined -wallj1 l8 at one end of the tank, the trunnions of the roll being 'journaled in a well-known mannerto the side walls of the tank. T0: facilitate the application of the glue-to the label the glue roll is positively driven so that the portion of, theroll which contacts with the label will travel in the same direction and at the end a driving shaft 150'is journaled in a bearing in the frame 8, in axial alinement with the axis of the glue roll, and is detachably connected to drive" the roll by means of a horizontalpin 152 (Fig. 1) projecting i i 1 same speed as that of. the label.- To this from the side of a collar lined to the shaft 150 and arranged to engage a radial pin 154 in the adjacent trunnion of the glue roll. The shaft 150 is driven from the main shaft 78 through a train of gearing comprising the gears 156 and 158 on the shafts 7'8 and 150, respectively, and an inter mediate idler pinion 160. Obviously, if gummed labels are to be employed, the described adhesive applying device would be replaced by a suitable inoistening device.

The operation of the mechanism has been explained in connection with the description given above of the construction and arrangement of its various parts. By virtue of the described constructionand arrange- 'icnt of parts the labels are handled and applied in a thoroughly practical and -ef ficient manner and the labeling operation may be carried on at an unusually high rate of speed. The labels are coated with adhesive during their transfer from the supply to the article to be labeled withoiiit retarding the transfer operation. Furthermore, the labels are applied to the articles without pressure and in a uniform manner whereby there is no tendency to compress or distort soft or plastic articles.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential since it may be varionsly modified 'ithout departing from the broader features of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll, of a flat label aiiixing plate for supporting a label and carrying it into engagement with the roll to receive an adhesive coating, oscillatory car rier upon which the plate is mounted with provision for movement relatively thereto, and means for moving the plate relatively to the carrier during a portion of the oscillatory movement of the latter to facilitate the application of adhesive to the label.

2. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll, of a flat label afixplate for supporting a label and carrying it into engagement with the roll to receive an adhesive coating, an oscillatory carrier upon which the plate is mounted with provision for movement relatively thereto, and means rendered operative by movement of the car-rier for moving the plate relatively to the carrier during a portion of the oscillatory movement of the latter to cause substantially the entire exposed surface of the label to engage the roll.

3. In a mechanism of the character described. the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll, of a fiat label aliin ing plate for supporting a label and carrying it into engagement with the roll to receive an adhesive coating, an oscillatory carrier upon which the plate is mounted with provision for movement relatively thereto, and means for moving the plate relatively to the carrier during a portion of the oscillatory movement of the latter to bring said label into contact with the roll along a line extending transversely across the forward end portion of the label and to cause said line of contact to progress rearwardly over the surface of the label.

4. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll, of a flat label aifixing plate for supporting a label and carrying it into engagement with the roll to receive an adhesive coating, an arm upon which said plate is mounted, an oscillatory carrier to which said arm is pivot-ally connected and a cam for controlling the movement of said arm as said carrier oscillates, the cam being constructed and arranged to cause substantially the entire exposed surface of the label to engage the roll.

In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll, of a flat label affixing plate for supporting a label and carrying it into engagement with the roll to receive an adhesive coating, an arm upon which said plate is adjustably mounted, an oscillatory carrier to which said arm is pivotally connected, means for controlling the movement of said arm as said carrier oscil lates to cause substantially the entire exposed surface of the label carried by said plate to be engaged by the roll, and adjusting means for varying the angular relation of said plate to said arm.

6. In a mechanism of the character dc scribed, the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll, of a fiat label affix-- ing plate for supporting a label and carrying it into engagement with the roll to receive an adhesive coating, an arm upon which said plate is adjustably mounted, an oscillatory carrier to which said arm is pivotally connected, a cam roller carried by said arm, a stationary cam face for controlling the movement of the arm as the carrier oscillates the cam being constructed and arranged to tilt the arm relatively to the carrier so as to cause substantially the entire exposed surface of a label carried by the plate to be engaged by the roll, and a spring for holding said cam roller in operative engagement with said cam face.

'7. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll of a flat label atlixing plate for supporting a label and carrying it into engagement with the roll to receive an adhesive coating, an oscillatory with provision for movement relatively thereto, means for moving the plate relatively to the carrier during a portion of the oscillatory movement of the latter to enable substantially the entire exposed surface of the label carried by said plate to be engaged by the roll, and means for positively rotating the roll at a surface speed equal to the rate of travel of the label and in the same direction.

8. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a rotatable adhesive applying roll of a flat label affix- 3 ing plate for supporting alabel and carrying it into engagement with the roll to re ceive an adhesive coating, an osc llatory carrier upon which the plate is mounted with provision for movement relatively thereto, and means for moving the plate relatively to the carrier during a portion of the oscillatory movement vof the latter tocause substantially the entire exposed surface of the label carried by said plate to beengaged by the roll, said means being constructed and arranged to maintain the plate substantially tangent to the roll throughout its period'of engagement therewith.

9. In a label applying mechanism, the combination with asupport for an article to be operated upon, of means removed from said support for receiving a supply of labels, an oscillatory member pivoted above the article upon said support, a carrier mounted upon said member with provision for angular movement relatively thereto, means including a label affixing plate carried by said member for removing a label from the supply and affixing it to an article upon said support, means for actuating said member,

to efiect the transfer of the label, and means including a cam for engaging said carrier during said transfer for varying the angu lar relation of the carrier to said member to cause the label carried by said plate to be applied to the article by a movement of the former substantially at right angles to the upper face of the latter.

10. In a label applying mechanism, the combination with a support for an article to be operated upon, of -means removed from saidsupport for receiving a supply of labels, a roll between said label supply and said support for applying an adhesive coating to the labels, and means for removing a label from the supply, transferring it past said roll to a position above said support and aflixing it to an article resting upon said support; said last named means comprising an oscillatory carrier pivoted above the article upon said support, a label seizing and aflixing device mounted upon said carrier, and means for actuating the carrier to effeet the transfer of the label, said means being constructed and arranged to accelerate the movement of the carrier during the advance stroke thereof, I

11. In a-label applying mechanism, the combina ion With support foran article to be operated upon, of means removed from said support for receiving a supply of labels, a roll between said label supply and said support for applying an adhesivecoating to the labels, and means for removing a label from the supply, transferring it past said rollto a position above said support and affixing it to an article resting upon said support; said last named means comprising an oscillatory carrier pivoted above the article upon said support, alabel seizin and affixing device upon said carrier, rac ial guideway in said carrier, and a crank pin movable in said g'uideway and arranged to effect the ad Vance of said carrier while moving through that half of its orbit which is nearer the axis of oscillation of the carrier. i.

12. In a mechanlsm of the character. de-

scribed, means for supporting the leading portion strip of labels, a yielding presser member cooperating with said;v supporting'means, to frictionally hold said portion of the strip with its end exposed for grasping, alabcl applying device for grasping said end of the strip, drawing aportion thereof through said holding means and affixing it to an article at a point removed therefrom, means operative after a portion of said strip of predetermined length has been drawn through said holding means to sever said portion from the rest ofthe strip, and adjustable means associated With the holding device for engaging edges of the strip as the: latter is drawn through said device to position the leading end of the strip transversely relatively to the label applying device. c

In a IllECllZUllSlll'Of the cha'acter described, arsupport for. an article to be roperated upon, meansremovedfrom said support for holding a supply of labels, a label aflixing plate, a relatively movable nipper for cooperating with said plate to seize and hold a label, means for moving said plate and nipper bodily between said label sup ply and said support to transfer a label" from said supply to a position above said article and to affix it thereto, and means for actuating said nipper to seize a label at said supply by pressing a portion of the label againstsaid plate and to release the label as it is aiiixed to the article.

14E. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, a'support for an article to be operated upon, means removed from said support for holding a supply oflabels, a plate adapted to engage a label for the purpose of af uing the label to an article, a face adjacent one edge of said plate and offset from the plane of the label engaging side thereof, a nipper movable relatively to said plate for cooperating with said face to seize and hold a label, means for moving said plate and nipper bodily to remove a label from said supply and attix the label to an article upon said support, and means for actuating said nipper to seize a label at said supply by pressing a portion of the label against said face and to release the label as it is allixed :to the article.

15. The combination with means for intermittently feeding .articlcs into position to receive a. label and for supporting the articles during the label applying operation, of means removed from the path of said articles for supporting a supply of labels, a late for aliixing a label carried thereby to an article, a nipper for cooperating with said plate to seize and carry a label, an oscillatory carrier for said plate and nipper adapted to move them back and forth between the label supply and the path of said articles, means for closing the nipper to grip a label from the supply between said nipper and said plate and for opening the nipper to release the label as it is at fixed to an article, and means for modifying the angular relation of said plate to said carrier during the oscillation of the latter to cause sub-sumtially .all portions in the exposed surface of the label carried by said plate to be brought simultaneously into contact with he article to which the label is to be applied by a movement of the label substantia'ly at right angles to the upper face of the article.

16. The combination with means for intermittently feeding articles into position to receive av label and for supporting the articles (ll l the l bel applying operation, of means r moved from the path of said articles for supporting a supply of labels. a plate for affixing a label carried thereby to an article, a nipper for cooperating with said plate to seize and carry a label, an oscillatory carrier for said plate and nipper adapted to move them back and forth between the label supply and the path of said articles, means for closing the nipper upon a label from the supply and for opening the nipper to release the label as it is mixed to an article, means including a roll in the path of movement of said plate for applying an adhesive coating to a label carried by the plate, and means for modifying the angular relation of the plate to said carrier during the oscillation of the latter to cause a line of contact between said label and roll to progress rearwardly over the surface of the label.

17. The combination with means for intermittently feeding articles into position to receive a label and for supporting the articles during the label applying operation, of means removed from the path of said articles for supporting a supply of labels,

a label affixing plate, a nipper for cooperating with said plate to seize a label, a carrier for said plate and nipper movable between the label supply and the path of the articles and adapted to bring said plate into position to atlix a label to an article, means ncluding arocker member having spaced arms for actuating the nipper at opposite ends of the course of travel of the latter, and means acting in timed relation with said carrier for rocking said plate in one direction to close the nipper and in the opposite direction to open the nipper.

18. The combination with means for inter mittentlyfeeding articles into position to receive a label and for supporting the articles during the label applying operation, of means removed from the path of said articles for supporting a. supply of labels, a carrier adapted to oscillate between the label supply and the path of said articles, a label aftixing deviceand anipper mounted on said carrier, the nipper adapted to cooperate with said device to seize a label, means including a lever mounted on the carrier for actuating the nipper, a rocker member having spaced arms between which said lever moves as the carrier oscillates, and means for rocking said member to swing said lever in one direction to close the nipper upon a. label at the source of supply and for rocking said member to swing said lever in the opposite direction to open the nipper to release the label as the latter ed to the article.

19. The combination with means for intermittently feeding articles into position to receive a label and for supporting the articles during the label applying operation, of means removed from the path of said articles for supporting a. supply of labels, a carrier adapted to oscillate between the label supply and the path of said articles, an arm pivoted upon said carrier, a. labelaliixing plate carried by said arm, a. nipper comprising a resilient finger for cooperating with said plate to seize and hold a label, an unyiel ling nipper support pivotally mounted upon said arm, means for actuating said nipper comprising toggle links connected one to said arm and the other to said nipper support, means for limiting the movement of the toggle linlcs in one direction to maintain the nipper linger in cooperative engagement with said plate, and means for swinging the toggle links away from. said limiting means to break the toggle to open said nipper and thereby to releas the label.

20. The combination with means for i11- termittently feeding articles into position to receive a label and for supporting the articles during the label applying operation, of means removed from the path of said articles for supporting a. supply of labels, a carrier adapted to oscillate between the 1 cl supply and the path of said articles, an

Hit)

- termittently feeding articles in position to receive a label and for supporting the ar-. tieles during the label applying operation,

arm pivoted upon said carrier, a label aflixing plate earned by sald arm, a nipper comprising a reslhent finger for cooperating with said plate to seize and hold a'label, an

of means removed from the path of said articles for supporting a'supply of labels,

a carrier adapted to oscillate between the I label supply and the'path of said articles, 1

a member movable on said carrier, av label afiixing plate on said member, a'la-bel engaging nipper cooperating with said member for holding a label, a movable nipper support pivotally mounted on said member, Connections between said nipper support and member adapted to move said nipper relatively to said plate and arranged to hold said nip-per away, or against said plate.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. I

, Emma L. SMITH; 

